Saturday, June 30, 2007

The Junkers Ju 88 was one of the most versatile aircraft of the Second World War, serving as a bomber, night fighter and reconnaissance aircraft as well as in a minor role as a ground attack aircraft and anti tank weapon. It had just entered service at the outbreak of war in 1939 and remained in service until the end of the war.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

The Junkers Ju 188 was an improved version of the Ju 88, one of the mainstays of the Luftwaffe during the Second World WarThe Junkers Ju 288 was one entry in the “Bomber B” competition of 1939, designed to provide the Luftwaffe with a long range high performance medium bomberThe Junkers Ju 388 was developed as a high speed altitude bomber based on similar aircraft in the Ju 188 series.The Junkers Ju 488 was a four engined heavy bomber based on earlier Junkers designs. It reached the prototype stage but no further

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The Shenyang JJ-5 is a Chinese produced advanced fighter trainer produced from parts of the MiG-15 and MiG-17The Avro Manchester was one of the least successful British aircraft of the Second World War. However, it was also the parent of probably the best British bomber of the war, the Avro Lancaster.The Brewster F2A Buffalo was the first monoplane fighter used by the US Navy, and has the rare distinction of being an aircraft that got worse as it was developedThe Brewster Buffalo had an undistinguished career in British (and American) service.The Stormovik was one of the most important aircraft of World War Two, its appearance over the battlefield struck fear into German troops and helped turn the tide of the war for the Soviets.The Shin Meiwa SS-2 (PS-1/ US-1) is one of the few flying boats to see extensive use in the 1960s and beyond.The F & W C 3605 Schlepp target-tug began life as a fighter bomber during the Second World War and ended it as a target tug in 1987The Morane Saulnier M.S. 406 was the most numerous fighter aircraft in French service in 1940, but was not equal to the role.The Morane Saulnier M.S. 405 was the development version of the most numerous French fighter of the Second World War.The Morane Saulnier M.S. 410 was an attempt to improve the firepower of the M.S. 406

The Bristol Blenheim was a light bomber, that when first designed was one of the fastest military aircraft in the world. Sadly, by the time war broke out in 1939 it had been leapfrogged by more modern aircraft, and the Blenheim would turn out to be slow and vulnerable to modern fighters.

The Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffon) was the only long range heavy bomber to enter Luftwaffe service during the Second World War. It arrived too late, in too small numbers and was too unreliable to have any impact on the war.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

We finish our look at the major American fighter aircraft of the Second World War with a series of articles on the P-40 Warhawk. This was the main Army fighter when America entered the war, and although it was never in the front rank of fighters, the P-40 was never entirely outclassed. In British service, as the Tomahawk and later Kittyhawk it played an important role in North Africa. We also look at the P-40's precursor, the XP-37, and three attempts to improve the aircraft - the XP-46, XP-53 and XP-60. Despite their best efforts, Curtiss were never able to produce an replacement worth disrupting production to bring into service.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

We continue our look at the Hellenistic world with articles on the The Diadochi, the successors to Alexander the Great, giving a brief summary of their lives.

The first conflict to break out after the death of Alexander the Great was the Lamian or Hellenic War, 323-321 BC, a Greek revolt against Macedonian control. The siege of Lamia (322 B.C.) saw the Greek rebels trap Antipater in the town of Lamia. The Battle of Abydos, 322 B.C., was the first of two naval defeats during the Lamian War than ended Athenian naval power. The battle of Amorgos, July 322 B.C. was a naval defeat during the Lamian War than ended Athenian naval power. The Battle of Crannon, August 322 B.C., was a Macedonia victory that ended serious Greek resistance during the Lamian War. We also add a biography of Cleitus, d.318, a Macedonian Admiral important in the early years of the War of the Diadochi

Sunday, June 03, 2007

We return to the ancient world with a look at the wars of the Hellenistic kingdoms that appeared after the death of Alexander the Great, starting with Eumenes’ War, 263-261 BC, a conflict that established the independence of Pergamum, the First Syrian War, 276-272 BC in which Ptolemy II of Egypt defeated Antiochus, ruler of the Seleucid Empire and a biography of Ptolemy Keraunos, son of Ptolemy I of Egypt and briefly king of Macedonia. We also add a list of the members of the Seleucid Dynasty